Harvest Salad with Pomegranate Allspice Dressing

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

Harvest Salad with Pomegranate Allspice Dressing ~ a colorful salad perfect for fall gatherings and holiday tables ~ it's gluten free, and vegetarian, too!

Ingredients

• i head kale
• 1 acorn squash
• o Extra Virgin Olive Oil<
• 1 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted and rough chopped
• 2 fuyu persimmons (diced)
• 1 cup cooked wild rice
• 1 ripe pear, halved and thinly sliced
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
• a handful of dried figs, halved or quartered depending on size
• dressing
• ½ cup O Extra Virgin Olive Oil<
• 2 tbsp O Pomegranate Vinegar
• 4 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 - 1 1/2 tsp ground allspice (to taste)
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Method

1. Set oven to 350F
2. Halve the squash and remove the seeds. Rinse the pulp off them and pat dry. Toss the seeds with a little O Olive Oil to coat.
3. Thinly slice one half of the squash. Toss the squash slices with a little O Olive Oil and a little salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet, and put the seeds alongside them. Roast the seeds for 15 minutes, stirring once during baking. Turn the the squash and roast for another 15 minutes, or until tender.
4. Wash and dry the kale. Stack the leaves and use a sharp knife to shred it finely. Cut the shreds in half if they are long. Put the kale in a large shallow salad bowl and toss with a couple of tablespoons of the dressing.
5. Arrange the rest of the ingredients on top, either in stripes, or sections, putting the pomegranate seeds in the center.
6. To make the dressing put the ingredients in a small jar, cover and give a good shake. Taste to adjust any of the components to your liking. Store extra dressing in the refrigerator.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island